Club shut for a week and event cancelled after Umno Youth and PAS protest

KUALA LUMPUR: A club, which was to host a “topless” pool party in Jalan Ampang on April 11, has been shut down for a week and its event cancelled by City Hall.

This came after an outcry by Umno Youth and PAS, calling for authorities to stop the event, which called on party goers to show up in bikinis and boy shorts, or less, and where alcoholic prizes were reportedly to be given for the “best dirty dancers”.

City mayor Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib confirmed that the authorities had thrown a blanket over the topless party, saying the club, The Pool KL, did not have a licence to host such an event.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor ordered the club to cease operations for a week pending investigations and said DBKL would also be issuing a show-cause letter to the operators.

“If we find their response unsatisfactory, we may shut down the place permanently,” Tengku Adnan said.

The event, which was reportedly going to feature acts like Roshan from K-Town Clan, DJ Augie, DJ Nesh, DJ Jenni-F and DJ Vin, charged men RM35 for entry, while women could enter free.

Its promotional poster, which features a scantily clad woman, states that the dress code was “bikinis/boy shorts (the lesser the better)” and that a barrel of beer, bottles of whiskey and tattoo vouchers would be given to the winners of the party’s “Best Dirty Dancers Competition”.

When contacted, the party’s concept creator claimed the event was still in its planning phase and that The Pool KL had not confirmed the date.

The man, who only gave his name as Pablo, claimed the poster being circulated by Netizens was a sample and the product of a brainstorming session, which was not meant to be seen by the public.

“We do not know how it was leaked. We think we are being sabotaged. There was no party planned yet,” claimed Pablo, who apologised to Muslims offended by the poster.

A City Hall statement said the party was being organised by Tetuan Nihonkan Sdn Bhd for this Friday and that City Hall had not received any application for such a party.

“Even if an application had been submitted, it would not be approved as this is not in accordance with licensing guidelines. The organiser was also found to have displayed the advertisement without approval from City Hall,” it said.

City Hall said it would issue a show-cause letter to the organiser, to which it must reply in writing why its premises and entertainment licences and other licences should not be rescinded.